The Measure of a Man
by animuffin
Summary: Based on Fitz's fic, "Young Again." Kenshin, Sano and Kaoru are radically transformed into cute little kids, but are left terribly vulnerable as well. Can Yahiko protect them from an old enemy?
1. One

**The Measure of a Man**

Written by Jenna Muff.  Based on the story Young Again by Fitz.  090003-??????

_Disclaimer: Number one, I don't own _Rurouni Kenshin_, or any of the characters, places, or events therein.  Number two, I don't own the original concept for this story; it belongs solely to Fitz-sama, who graciously granted permission for this little side story to be written.  Domo arigatou, Fitz-sama!_

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**_A bit of background information…_**

            As was stated in the disclaimer, this story is based on Fitz's original fanfic, Young Again.  If you haven't read that particular fic before, you'd best go and do so now.  Firstly, it's a fabulous story, well-conceived and funny to boot.  Secondly, if you skip the source material, you'll be mightily confused by my little alternate venture, as it picks up in the middle of the original story.  

            The Measure of a Man starts after the end of Young Again's fourth chapter.  Because this will be an A/U of Fitz's original fic, you'll find that some things have changed a bit…to say more would spill too many beans!  Enjoy!  :D

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**_"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  --Martin Luther King, Jr._**

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            Yahiko yawned and sat up, rubbing at his eyes and scrubbing a hand through his sleep-ruffled hair.  His first thought was that he'd had the weirdest dream of his entire life.  _Kenshin and Kaoru and Sano getting turned into little kids…Yahiko no baka!_  It was ridiculous, and not just a little childish...no pun intended.  Yahiko rolled his eyes and yawned again as he hauled himself to his feet and stretched.  "You know you're going crazy when your brain starts punning on you," he muttered.  _Between that and my freakishly real dreams, maybe I've already cracked and just don't know it…_

            That line of thinking ended rather abruptly, as a loud crash and a few muffled yells wafted through the shouji.  The events of the previous day popped into Yahiko's brain yet again, and he gave a low groan.  "It wasn't a dream," he reminded himself aloud, shoving the shouji open and jogging down toward the kitchen, from whence the racket had come.  _I wonder if busu and the others are still little kids._

            A high-pitched voice reached Yahiko's ears as he neared the kitchen.  "Damn it, Kenshin, why'd you drag me out of bed for this if you weren't gonna keep your own balance?"  The language certainly belonged to Sanosuke, although the tone was much too shrill for the adult version.  Yahiko hid a grin.  _That answers that._

            Kenshin was in the middle of an apology when Yahiko entered the kitchen.  The little redhead was already dressed, and looked as though he'd been up for quite a while.  It wasn't a surprise, really; Kenshin always got up before everyone else, usually to make breakfast.

            Sano caught sight of Yahiko first.  The miniature street fighter looked far more rumpled than did Kenshin—not all that unusual, actually, but with the way Sano was rubbing his neck and glaring at Kenshin, Yahiko figured the two had something to do with the crash he'd heard.  "Hey, brat," Sano said by way of greeting.  It was comical, coming from a child several years younger than the "brat."

            "'Morning, brats," Yahiko answered with a wide grin.  "So, you're still babies, I see."

            "Yahiko, we are _not_ babies, that we are not," Kenshin said with a frown.  His little face had a hard time with the expression, however, and he ended up looking adorably pouty.  "We are still adults, no matter what we look like."

            "Kenshin's absolutely right!" Kaoru sang out, bouncing into the kitchen with all the energy of an eight-year-old girl.  "Good morning, everyone!  Mou, I'm starving!  What's for breakfast?"

            Yahiko became abruptly aware that Kaoru and Sano were staring expectantly at him.  "Whoa!  I just got up myself!  Besides, even if my cooking wouldn't poison us like busu's does, Kenshin's is way better!"

            Kaoru's cheeks flushed, and she curled her little fingers into fists.  "Yahiko…" she said warningly, although her young voice warped her threat into more of a whine.

            "Yeah, well, about that," Sano grumped, shooting a sour glance at Kenshin.  "Ken-_chan_ over there woke me up way too early this morning, wantin' me to help him get breakfast started."

            "Why would Kenshin want _your_ help, Sano?" Yahiko asked incredulously.  "You know even less about cooking than the busu!"

            "Yahiko!" Kaoru protested again, her voice just a bit more high-pitched than before.

            Sano grinned up at Yahiko, and the eleven-year-old noticed that Kenshin looked decidedly annoyed.  "The little shrimp couldn't reach anything!" Sano crowed, dark eyes dancing merrily.  "He wanted to stand on my shoulders so he could get ahold of the tofu and stuff!"  His smile faded into a scowl, which actually made him look cuter than had the smile.  "O' course, as soon as I hoisted him up, he decided to lose his balance and take me down with him.  'Bout broke my neck!"

            "You did not," Kenshin objected somewhat petulantly.  "If you hadn't stumbled over your own feet, Sano, I would never have lost my balance, that I would not!"

            "I was still half-asleep!" Sano argued.  "'s not my fault you're such a shrimp!"

            "I am _not a shrimp!" Kenshin insisted.  "Yahiko, make him quit calling me that—!"  The surrealism of the situation seemed to hit the small rurouni as soon as the childlike request left his mouth, and he visibly winced.  "I cannot believe I just said that, that I cannot," he muttered._

            Yahiko, meanwhile, was having a hard time keeping his amusement contained.  "Sano, if you can't be nice, I'll just have to spank you," he said, the mocking threat broken by snorts of laughter.

            "You don't dare try it, brat!" came the rather piercing reply.  Sano's intimidation-factor had officially dropped below the floorboards, Yahiko thought.  It was pretty hard to be a menacing soprano.  

            "Well, what are we going to do for breakfast, then?" Kaoru asked, twirling her hair around one finger.  "I'm so hungry, I could eat a sandal!"

            "Hey, there's an idea.  At least Kenshin would be able to reach those," Sano remarked with a lopsided grin.

            Kenshin leveled an admittedly fierce glare on Sanosuke—though, truth be told, it was more akin to the ferocity of a kitten stalking a leaf than anything else.  Still, the little redhead managed to inject a good amount of threat into his voice as he said, "I may be short, Sanosuke, but I'm still faster than you, and I still remember how to do a Ryu Tsui Sen, that I do."

            "Which reminds me, Yahiko," Kaoru chimed in, turning her sparkling gaze upward to her student, "you won't be slacking off just because your sensei is eight years old.  Five hundred practice swings by lunchtime, and I want the floor of the dojo looking like new by the end of the day!"

            Yahiko folded his arms and looked down at the little girl, raising his brows in amazement.  In her pink kimono and matching pink ribbon, Kaoru hardly looked threatening, but she was still acting like the old busu—bossy and way too demanding.  "Is that so?" he asked skeptically.  At Kaoru's affirming nod, he smirked, and continued, "Just how do you plan to make me?"

            Her face turned red, and she sputtered, "B-but…you wouldn't dare—!"

            "The way I see it, I'm the oldest now," Yahiko continued.  "I get to tell _you_ what to do, busu-_chan!"_

            "Why you—!!"  A vein was becoming visible in mini-Kaoru's forehead.  Her fists were knotted so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.  "Yahiko, you shouldn't disrespect your teacher, even if she is smaller than you," she said through clenched teeth.  "I said you were to practice today, and you'd better practice, or I'll—"

            "What?  You'll cry?  C'mon, busu, I deserve a break after dealing with the three of you yesterday!" Yahiko exclaimed.  "I'll practice after lunch, and I might—_might_ clean the floor," and his smirk turned evil as he added, "but only if you're a good girl and you let me take Sano and Kenshin fishing."

            Kaoru's mouth dropped open, and she stared bewilderedly at her student.  She seemed to be fighting an internal war; Yahiko wondered if she would fight him, in which case he'd have to be careful not to hurt her while he fended her off, or would she consent, thereby sparing everyone a lot of stress and shrieking?

            "Maa, maa, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin put in, surprisingly soothingly for an eight-year-old, "I will stay and help clean the dojo, that I will.  Yahiko and Sano can go catch some fish for lunch, is that all right?"

            "Aw, Kenshin, come on," little Sano drawled, "weren't you ever a normal little kid?  Let's us men go fishing, and leave the little woman here to…to do whatever womenfolk do!"

            "We cannot leave Kaoru-dono here alone, that we cannot," Kenshin objected adamantly.

            "You're right," Yahiko said, frowning in thought.  He hadn't considered that, actually.  While the busu's attitude was as bad as ever, she would be helpless if anything happened while he was gone.  _Any of them would be, actually, he admitted to himself.  __Even Kenshin.  A chill ran down his spine at the thought of any of them getting hurt as a result of his own carelessness.  "Well, Kaoru, what if you went to visit Megumi-san for the day?  That way, you wouldn't be left here alone, and I could still take the boys fishing."_

            "Hey, brat, we aren't _boys,_ we're _guys, got it?" Sano growled._

            Kaoru looked around at all of them, biting her lip.  Finally, she heaved a sigh that made her bangs flutter over her eyes.  "All right, I guess I'm outnumbered, and since I'm too small to properly beat the stuffing out of you…"  She trailed off, glaring darkly at Yahiko.  "The next chance you give me, Yahiko, the very _instant_ you let your guard down, you'll be sorry," she muttered.

            "Hey, and Megumi'll feed us breakfast, too!" Sano exclaimed cheerfully, throwing one small fist in the air.  His big eyes shone.  "Let's go, I'm starving!"  He gave Yahiko a broad grin.  "Y'know, this stint might not be so bad.  After all, who can say no to a hungry little kid?"

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            Megumi gave a sigh as she watched her guests wolfing the meal she had set out for them.  Sano and Yahiko ate ravenously, as they usually did, and Kaoru wasn't much better.  Ken-san, though, didn't eat very much, and was far slower about it than the other three.  Megumi was a bit concerned, but she wouldn't comment unless the child showed an unhealthy lack of appetite over the next several days.  She would have to ask Yahiko to keep an eye on him.

            _What a turnaround, the doctor thought bemusedly.  "When you all stop to catch a breath, I'd like to know how everyone is adjusting to the situation," she remarked, giving Kaoru in especial a reproving look.  _Really, she may be eight years old, but she could at least maintain some semblance of manners at the table!__

            "Not very well, Megumi-dono," Ken-san answered, a bit morosely.  Megumi had to restrain her chuckles; the former hitokiri looked positively _charming_ with his thick red locks spilling over to hide the large purple eyes.  "I would feel better if I had my sakabatou back…"

            "I was going to bring it to the dojo later on," Megumi reminded him.  "In fact, I'll bring it with me when I bring tanuki-chan home tonight, all right?"

            Sanosuke nearly choked on his rice.  "Ha!  I can just see Kenshin trying to practice!  He'd take two steps, overbalance, and fall flat on his face!"

            "Shut up, Sano," Kenshin muttered.

            "Well, the sakabatou _is_ taller than you are right now, Ken-san," Megumi said.  "I would be careful with it, at least until you get a little bigger."

            "Megumi-dono, I may look eight, but I've been wielding a sword for twenty years, that I have," Kenshin protested, exasperated with all of the babying.  "In fact, I was this old when I first picked up a sword—"  Abruptly, the flow of words ceased, and the little redhead's dark eyes disappeared behind his hair again.  He seemed to draw inward of a sudden.

            Several beats of stifling silence passed by.  Kenshin did not speak again, merely sat there with his head bowed, utterly and unnervingly still.  Megumi suppressed a shiver, both at the boy's words and at his withdrawal afterward.  She'd known that Ken-san's life had been rough, but she now realized that she didn't truly know much about his past, aside from the dark tales of the Revolution's most infamous hitokiri.

            Yahiko broke the silence, trying to make up for the uncomfortable chill that had descended over the group.  "Well, Megumi-san, are you sure it's all right if the busu stays here for the day?" he asked.  "I know Kenshin and Sano wanted to go fishing for lunch…"

            "By all means, take them," Megumi told him with a smile.  _Kami knows, Ken-san could use the distraction._  "I'm sure I'll find ways to keep tanuki-chan occupied."

            "Megumi-san, _please_ don't call me that," Kaoru whined between mouthfuls.  She shot a glare at Yahiko.  "And you, don't call me ugly!"

            "Oh, sorry, busu-_chan_," Yahiko snickered.

            "Yahiko-_chan!" Kaoru shot back._

            "That's funny coming from you, little girl!" the older boy snorted.

            "Ooh!  I'll get you for that, Yahiko-chan!" Kaoru shrieked, vaulting over the table and flailing at Yahiko's head with both tiny fists.

            "Ow!  Busu-chan, get off!" 

            "Take it back!  Take it _back, Yahiko-chan!" Kaoru demanded at the top of her lungs._

            "Damn it, Jou-chan, those're my ears!  Not so loud," Sano grumbled, scooting away from the violence and stealing the rest of Yahiko's food while he was at it.

            Megumi watched the whole scene with detached amazement, wondering how in the world they all survived each other's company day in and day out.  She was slightly troubled, then, to hear Ken-san's faint, "Maa, maa."  _He's not even paying attention, the doctor thought, studying the little rurouni's hunched form.  She wondered what sort of terrible memory his own comment had dredged up, to so affect him._

            Yahiko finally managed to disentangle himself from the steamed mini-Kaoru, who marched back to her own seat and plopped down with a huff.  "Geez, busu, you're even more of a terror now," the eleven-year-old muttered, gingerly touching his aching nose.  "Kenshin, Sano, what do you say we get out of here and go down to the river?"

            "All right!" Sano crowed enthusiastically.  "C'mon, Kenshin, let's go!"

            "You two go get the poles," Megumi told them.  "Yahiko, stay here a moment, will you?"

            Sano pulled at Kenshin's arm and hustled him out, chattering excitedly about how much fun they were going to have, just the three guys out fishing for the whole day!  Megumi watched them go, noting the redhead's tiny answering smile, then turned to speak very quietly to Yahiko.  "Keep an eye on Ken-san," she murmured, giving the boy a serious look.  "Something is bothering him, and I don't know how well that child's body can handle the kind of stress Ken-san regularly puts on himself when he starts worrying."

            Yahiko nodded.  "Yeah, I noticed," he answered.  "I'll keep him out of trouble, okay?  You can count on me."

            Megumi gave him a smile.  "You're a good boy, Yahiko.  Be careful, and have a good time, mm?"

            "Sure thing!"  Yahiko grinned down at Kaoru.  "See you later, busu-chan!"

            "Mou, Yahiko!"

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            Yahiko propped his pole against his knee and let his head loll backward, basking in the warm sunlight.  "This is the life," he murmured, to no one in particular.  

He and the two younger boys were sitting on the bank, their fishing lines trailing lazily out into the river.  Kenshin's young face was blank, his dark eyes focused somewhere out across the river, obviously lost in thought.  Sanosuke was happily chewing a long blade of grass, his own gaze fixated on the little bobber out in the water, as though he could will the fish to bite simply by staring.  Yahiko shook his head, once again marveling at the strangeness of the circumstances.  He and Sano went out fishing pretty often, usually without Kaoru's knowledge.  Kenshin rarely accompanied them, as he was usually busy doing chores at the dojo, but Yahiko couldn't help but think that the rurouni knew about their excursions and simply chose not to say anything.  _That's so like him, the eleven-year-old thought with a grin, stealing a glance at the tiny redhead next to him.  ___

More memories of his outings with Sanosuke brought a wicked thought to Yahiko's mind, and he stifled a chuckle.  It was about time, he decided, to toss one of Sano's usual drawling jibes back at the ex-street fighter.  So, with as much severity as he could muster, Yahiko warned, "Now, be careful, brats.  If you fall in, I'm sure as hell not diving in after you, y'hear?"

The lofty remark drew only a surprised blink and a soft "Oro?" out of Kenshin, but Sano reacted far more entertainingly.  "You…you little _brat!" he spluttered, his eyes wide with surprised annoyance.  It served to make him look even younger, and Yahiko simply couldn't hold it in any longer.  He doubled over, laughing uproariously at Sano's prepubescent outrage._

"Kenshin, hold my line!  I have to go beat the shit out of the little punk!" Sano snarled, shoving his fishing pole into the rurouni's small hands and launching himself at Yahiko.

"Sano, I don't know if you can do that, that I do not," Kenshin stated with a sigh, but his comment went totally unheard as the peaceful setting dissolved into a flailing, shouting melee.  Yahiko deflected most of Sano's punches without too much trouble, and what made it even more embarrassing was the fact that the elder boy was still holding onto his fishing pole—which meant that Yahiko was holding Sano off with only _one hand._  

"Geez, Sano-_chan," Yahiko gasped, laughing as he caught Sano's miniature fists and pushed the boy away yet again.  "Even busu-chan was more of a challenge than this!"  _Of course, that's because I was really trying not to hurt her, and fighting girls is so **weird anyway, with all their hair and clothes flying everywhere!**_  Whereas Sano was just a collection of small limbs to be shoved back time and time again, which Yahiko did._

Another wicked notion sprang to the eldest boy's mind, and he managed to free himself just long enough to push his fishing pole into Kenshin's already-overloaded hands.  "Hold that, Kenshin!" he hollered, then turned his full attention back to Sanosuke.  With both hands free, the eleven-year-old had a marked advantage, despite Sano's determination.  Yahiko quickly pinned the little ex-gangster down, and then tickled him mercilessly.

Kenshin watched the display, shaking his head with a small smile.  His little hands were clenched around the three poles, and even though he held them all together in a bundle, his fingers were still barely long enough to maintain his grip.  The lines were getting all tangled in the water, but there wasn't much the rurouni could do about it.  Yahiko had Sano shrieking with laughter; both boys were almost in tears as the tormentor tickled and the victim struggled.  _What a sight we make, Kenshin thought, chuckling softly.  _Shishou would have something to say about it, I'm sure.__

Thoughts of his master triggered memories of a dark night long ago, blood spilling in the moonlight, and warm bodies crouching against him protectively, trying to hide him from the disaster befalling them all.  Kenshin turned his gaze back out into the water, his smile instantly fading.  Being so small again was making it more difficult for him to push the memories away, as he usually did.  He looked down at his hands.  _The last time my hands were this tiny, I saw everyone die…everyone that cared about me then.  And I was too small to do anything to help them._  His eyes fell shut, and he bit his lip.  _That won't happen again.  Somehow, we'll fix this.  We **have** to!_

"K-Ken…shin!" Sano gasped out, hiccupping on his giggles.  "H-help!"

Kenshin opened his eyes and looked back over at his two friends.  Yahiko had Sano's skinny arms pinned behind his back, and was now digging his fingers into the younger boy's ribs.  Sanosuke howled, laughing and scowling and crying all at once, alternating between threatening Yahiko with bodily harm and pleading with Kenshin to rescue him.  Kenshin, for his part, might have been inclined to get involved, but his hands were literally full.  "The lines are getting tangled, that they are," he called out helpfully, hoping that would get their attention.

"So untangle 'em!" Yahiko tossed back.

"I cannot, that I can't," the rurouni answered ruefully.  _Hell, I can barely hold onto the poles!_

Yahiko released Sano and staggered over to plop back down next to Kenshin, leaving the former on the ground in a gasping, hiccupping heap.  "You deserved that, Sano," Yahiko called back over his shoulder as he retrieved his pole from Kenshin's grasp, wincing at the tangled mess the lines had formed.  "If you try anything, I'll throw you in the water!"

"D-damn it, brat…" came the halting reply.  After a few minutes, Sano dropped down onto the grass next to Kenshin and took his pole back, as well.  "You'll pay for that, Yahiko… hey, what the hell is up with the lines?  Kenshin, can't we leave you with anything?"

"Do you see my hands?  Do I look like I can hold onto three long fishing poles and still manage to keep the lines separated?" Kenshin asked defensively.

"Guess not," Sano answered with a breathless snicker.  "I've seen Western-style dolls with bigger hands than yours."

Kenshin let out a sigh.  "As soon as this is over and we're adults again, I am going to make you all regret the short jokes, that I am," he muttered.

After a few minutes of colorful cursing as Yahiko and Sano untangled the fishing lines, they all sat in silence once more.  The clouds puffed lazily overhead in a mostly blue sky, and the afternoon sun grew so warm that Yahiko shrugged out of his gi and wadded it up on the ground beside him.  Sano didn't take his gi off, but pulled it out of the borrowed hakama and let it hang open like his usual "wicked" jacket.

After about an hour, Sano flicked his now thoroughly-gnawed grass stalk out into the river and sighed loudly.  "Damn, but this is weird.  Last time I was this little, Sagara-taichou and the Sekihoutai were still tromping around the country.  I had just started carrying Sagara-taichou's sword.  I must've looked like Kenshin, lugging it around in both arms!"  He laughed a little, but the humor didn't reach his dark eyes.  "We almost never had time to just sit around like this, though.  I kinda like it."

            Yahiko was quiet for a moment, then said, "Yeah, I know what you mean.  I was already working for the yakuza when I was eight, so I didn't have any time to play around, either."

            "What about you, Kenshin?  What were you up to when you were our age?" Sano asked jauntily, seemingly forgetting all about Kenshin's lapse at Megumi's.

            Yahiko watched the small rurouni with some concern.  Kenshin's eyes were hidden behind his bangs again, and his grip on his fishing pole had tightened until his fingers were white.  For several minutes, he didn't answer.  He was quiet for such a long time, in fact, that Sano opened his mouth to ask again, thinking that maybe he hadn't heard.

            "I am sorry, that I am," Kenshin said abruptly, his voice soft, almost inaudible.  "I was just thinking how strange it is, discussing my childhood.  I've never spoken of it, really."

            Yahiko blinked in surprise.  "Never?  Not to anyone?" he asked, suddenly feeling a tight knot gathering in his throat.  He knew that Kenshin had had a harsh life, but he hadn't really guessed exactly _how harsh.  _Well, maybe this is the time to find out,_ he thought._

            Kenshin didn't look up, but his slim shoulders shifted in a tiny shrug.  "No one asked, that they did not," he offered.

            The redhead's childish voice colored his matter-of-fact statement with bleak loneliness.  Yahiko swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.  _I wish busu was here, or Megumi,_ he admitted to himself.  _They're better at helping people out with stuff like this._  But the women weren't there, and he realized that he and Sano were all Kenshin had at the moment.  "Kenshin," the eleven-year-old said hesitantly.  "Do you want to tell me and Sano?  I mean, you don't have to if you don't—"

            "Thank you, Yahiko," Kenshin broke in, finally raising his dark gaze to meet the elder boy's concerned one.  Surprisingly, a faint smile played at the corners of the miniature rurouni's lips.  "I will tell you.  I was simply thinking for a moment, that I was."  His eyes drifted out to stare into the river once more, and he watched the ripples and eddies with what seemed to be rapt interest for a few quiet moments.  "I was a slave when I was eight," he said at length.  "I spent my days cleaning in my master's house, especially the floors, since they were the easiest for me to reach.  I also brought in the water, stirred food, helped dry the dishes, and anything else I could do.  One of the old women—I don't remember her name—kept me as busy as possible, so the master wouldn't think I was useless and get rid of me."

            Yahiko caught Sanosuke's glance over the tiny rurouni's head, and saw the same shock mirrored on the young ex-gangster's face that he himself felt.  They'd both seen how some slaves were treated by their masters, especially if the slaves were small or weak.  Yahiko didn't even want to imagine what kind of hellish life Kenshin had lived, as short and pretty a child as he was.  

            "Uh, Kenshin…"  Sano scrubbed uncertainly at the back of his neck with one hand, a nervous gesture Yahiko had seen his adult self use when he was uneasy.  "I don't know how to ask this…but where were your parents?  Were they…were they slaves, too?"

            The smaller boy shook his head, his gaze clouded.  "They both died when I was seven…a cholera outbreak in the village.  I don't remember much about them, that I don't."  A beat of silence passed.  "Anyway, Shishou rescued me," Kenshin continued, and Yahiko noted that his voice had returned to its familiar rurouni-esque lilt, if a few notches higher in pitch.  "He raised me, and trained me in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, that he did."  

            "I had no idea," Yahiko murmured, almost to himself.  He blew a sigh between his teeth, hating how morose he suddenly felt.  _I brought these two out here to cheer them up, damn it!  "I guess none of us really had it easy, huh?" he commented, trying to think of a way to lighten the mood._

            "Naw," Sano drawled, complete with a chibi-cute rendition of his trademark gangster-grin, "which is why I'm fixin' to make up for it right now.  Y'know, by makin' the most of the weird shit going on!"

            Yahiko nodded slowly, his own smile starting to tug at his mouth.  _Trust Sano to cheer the place up._  "Yeah, Sanosuke, you're right!  With you three being kids again, we can do it all over!  We can go out fishing, and get into fights, and tease the busu, and everything!"

            Sano nodded enthusiastically.  "Yeah!" he piped.

            "And I get to boss all of you around, just like a big brother!" Yahiko continued gleefully.

            Sano's grin crumpled into a challenging glare.  "Like hell you will!"

            "Sanosuke, such language," Kenshin murmured, shaking his head.  "You're too young for it now, that you are…"

            "Screw that, Kenshin," the miniature ex-street fighter shot back, trying without success to crack his knuckles.  "The little punk thinks he's gonna boss _me_ around?  No way in hell!"

            Kenshin looked up, a doubtful expression on his baby face.  "Sano, he's only going to pin you and tickle you again," he pointed out.

            Yahiko's grin turned wolfish, and he winked at Sano.  "Say, Kenshin, that's not a bad idea…but I think the one that needs tickling is _you!"_

            "Oro?!"

And as the tiny rurouni found himself tackled to the ground, the quiet afternoon was once again shattered by shouts, laughter, and a barrage of curses far too colorful for the young mouths voicing them.

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            Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the tussling boys, a pair of disbelieving eyes watched the spectacle from a safe distance, and a heart full of vengeful hate hatched a terrible plot…

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_Once again, **HUGE thanks to Fitz-sama for allowing me to write this story.  (animuffin bows profusely)  I am building a shrine in your honor!**_

_WARNING: Major Gumi-misery ahead!  Read at your own risk!  ;D_

_Until next time, ja!  _

_@Jen@_


	2. Two

**The Measure of a Man**

Written by Jenna Muff.  Based on the story Young Again by Fitz.  090003-??????

_Disclaimer: Number one, I don't own _Rurouni Kenshin_, or any of the characters, places, or events therein.  Number two, I don't own the original concept for this story; it belongs solely to Fitz-sama, who graciously granted permission for this little side story to be written.  Domo arigatou, Fitz-sama!_

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            Kaoru stifled yet another jaw-cracking yawn as she and Megumi neared the dojo.  The sun was setting low in the west, flooding the sky with one last blaze of golden glory.  A flock of small birds twittered and fussed about in a tree to one side of the dusty street.  Kaoru watched some of them, smiling at their chatter and marveling at how high up the normally low-hanging branches looked.  Sometimes, she thought, it wasn't really so bad being small again; she felt like she was seeing a whole different world every time she opened her eyes.

            "Kaoru-chan, you look tired," Megumi called from somewhere up ahead.  "Do you want me to carry you home?"

            Kaoru blinked, only then realizing that she had stopped walking and was standing stock-still in the middle of the road, staring up into the tree and grinning like a twit.  Her cheeks flushed at the doctor's query.  _Megumi's always treated me like a little girl anyway, Kaoru thought irritably, hurrying to catch up, _but this is ridiculous!_  "No, thank you," she replied, hating how shrill and whiny her voice sounded._

            Megumi only smiled and began walking again, tossing her luxuriant hair over her shoulder with her free hand.  In her other hand she carried the sakabatou, wrapped in cloth to prevent anyone from seeing it and picking a fight.  Kaoru smirked to herself, taking some satisfaction in the fact that the doctor, despite her saucy manner, was almost completely unable to defend herself from even the most amateur of swordsmen.  _Whereas I'm the Assistant Master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and I've stomped full-grown men into the ground!  Kaoru hid a triumphant grin and suppressed a pleased giggle at the thought of Megumi, a full-grown woman, hiding behind a tiny bokken-wielding Kaoru.  Her smirk died on her lips, though, as she looked down at her little feet in their equally small sandals—borrowed from Ayame, of course.  _But then, I can't really defend myself right now, either, can I?_ she mused irritably.  Sano and Kenshin would be equally useless in a fight, she knew.  __Which leaves Yahiko in charge of defending us all._

            It wasn't that she didn't trust her student with the task; she'd taught him well, thank you very much, and despite his big mouth and exasperating disrespect, he _was quite talented.  Not that she would ever tell him so, of course—his head was already big enough._

            Lost in her thoughts again, Kaoru stumbled over a dip in the road, only barely recovering her balance in time to prevent an embarrassing fall.  She caught Megumi's amused smile, and her face reddened again.  _Mou!  Next thing I know, she'll be offering me warm milk and a bedtime story!  Kaoru gave an irritated sigh and balled her fists, trying to concentrate on walking with some sort of womanly poise.  It was difficult enough for her as an adult, as she had always been more comfortable taking the long, confident strides her training hakama allowed for.  Even trickier, then, was the task of maintaining her composure as a little girl, since little girls weren't naturally built for grace and good carriage.  Kaoru sighed again, this time despondently.  __I take it back.  Being small again…is **hell.**_

            "Tanuki-chan, you're lagging behind again!  Are you sure I shouldn't carry you?"  

            Kaoru could almost see the fox-ears peeking through Megumi's hair.  "No…thank…you," she gritted out.  She couldn't wait to get back to the dojo; a few hundred practice swings at an imaginary fox-lady would do much improve her temper, no doubt…

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            As it so happened, Megumi and Kaoru arrived at the dojo just in time to welcome the boys back.  Yahiko was carrying the fishing poles slung over one shoulder and a string of good-sized fish in his free hand, while Sano and Kenshin trailed behind him, with the smaller of the young boys carrying another string of fish and dodging the larger's playful punches.  All three looked as though they'd rolled around in a field; grass stains marred their clothes, and their hair was full of bits of grass and leaves.

            "Hey, Fox, Jou-chan, look at all the fish we caught!" Sano called out with a jubilant wave.  "'course it was mostly Kenshin and me, but Yahiko sure tried hard!"

            "What?  C'mere and say that again, you little punk!" Yahiko shouted, shoving the fish and the poles into Kenshin's hands and taking off after Sano.

            Kenshin's eyes grew round as his small hands were overloaded once again.  "Yahiko, I cannot hold all of this, that I cannot!" he said frantically.  He fumbled with the lines of fish, thinking that it was more important to save dinner than to hold onto the fishing poles.  Yahiko would be irritated if the fishing lines were tangled again, but—!

            Thankfully, a larger pair of hands swiftly steadied the poles and took the fish before they could be dropped.  Megumi's warm smile shone down on the rurouni.  "Why, thank you, Ken-san," she said cheerfully.  

            Kenshin felt heat creeping into his cheeks; somehow, the doctor had a talent for making him blush at the smallest things.  "Oro?" he murmured, his usual method of deflecting her attentions.  _That's it, Himura, play dumb…_

            "Don't 'oro' me, young man!" Megumi scolded him, earning a shocked look from the tiny redhead.  "If you want to help me make dinner, come along to the kitchen!  Kaoru-chan, go wash up, and make those other two miscreants do the same!"

            "Megumi-dono, I can make dinner myself, that I can," Kenshin protested, following after the lady doctor and cursing how unsteady his footing was as he tried to hold onto the three swaying fishing poles still clutched in his arms.

            "Oh?  And how were you planning to reach the higher shelves, Ken-_chan?_" Megumi asked with a sly smile.  As color blossomed once more on the boy's cheeks, she put her hand to her mouth and chuckled aloud.  "Tanuki-chan told me about that incident this morning.  Don't worry, Ken-san, I'll hold you niceand_ tight, so you won't fall down again…"_

            Kenshin's mouth dropped open at the doctor's cunning wink.  "Oro!  Megumi-dono, must I remind you that I am _eight years old right now?"_

            Fox-ears popped out of Megumi's hair, and her laughter rang out across the yard.  "Ohohohoho!  But that only makes it easier to cuddle you, Ken-chan!"

            _"Oro!"_

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            Dinner that night actually went better than Yahiko might have expected.  The steamed fish, rice and vegetables were delicious, of course, since Kenshin and Megumi had prepared them.  Kenshin's near-constant blush was comical, although Yahiko did have to wonder what exactly was bringing such color to the normally unflappable rurouni's face.  _Megumi's not hitting on him, is she? he thought to himself, making a face as he fended off one of Sano's attempts to steal his food.  __That's so gross!  He's a little kid, for Kami's sake!_

            "Hey, brat, lemme have some of that fish!  You got the biggest piece!" Sano growled, trying for Yahiko's dinner yet again.

            "Hands off, Sano-_chan_, or I'll tickle you till you pee!" Yahiko threatened.

            "Is that what happened to all of you?  A tickle fight?"  Kaoru giggled, her eyes sparkling at Kenshin.  "I'd love to see you in a tickle fight, Kenshin!  Did they gang up on you?"

            "Nah, I took him on single-handedly!" Yahiko boasted, waving his chopsticks for emphasis.  "He got laughing so hard, I thought he'd bust a gut!"

            Kenshin ducked his head, but there was no hiding his embarrassed grin.  "It was fun, that it was," he said softly.  Then, his smile turned wicked, and he shot a glance at Sanosuke.  "Although watching Yahiko pin Sano down and tickle him until he begged for mercy was much more entertaining, that it was."

            "The rooster _begged?_" Megumi chuckled.  "Now, that would be something to see!  Yahiko and Rooster-chan, tussling around like puppies!"

            Sano glared at them all.  "Hey, lay off with the _chan thing, damn it!  's not my fault I'm only half Yahiko's size now!  And I __didn't beg.  I'm still gonna pay you back for that, brat, just you wait!"_

            "Bring it on, Rooster-chan!" Yahiko snorted.

            "Why, you—!"  

            "Maa, maa," Kenshin interjected mildly, "don't fight, you two.  I know you're both hungry, so you should hurry and eat before it gets cold, that you should."

            "You ought to be ashamed, Yahiko," Kaoru remarked imperiously, "since you're the oldest out of us, and _you_ should be the one breaking up the fights, not starting them!"

            "Oh, be quiet, busu!  Since when do you care who's fighting?  You're usually the manliest fighter out of all of us, anyway!" Yahiko shot back.

            _"What?" Kaoru shrieked, her face turning red as she pushed her sleeves up.  "That's it, Yahiko-_chan_, you are so dead!"_

            Yahiko grabbed a piece of fish and darted out the door just as the eight-year-old Assistant Master rocketed toward him.  "Busu-chan, busu-chan, ugly tanuki girl!" Yahiko hollered back around a mouthful of fish.

            "Get back here, brat!" Kaoru hollered, her tiny legs working as fast as they could.

            "There they go again," Kenshin sighed.

            Sanosuke shrugged and helped himself to Yahiko's leftovers.  "More for us, I say!"

            "Well, Ken-san, now that tanuki-chan is gone, I have you all to myself," Megumi purred, hooking one arm around Kenshin's shoulders and pulling him in for a squeeze.  

            The little rurouni squirmed a bit, trying without success to escape her hold.  "Oro?" he piped, shooting a pleading glance at Sano, who just raised one eyebrow and chewed the fishtail he'd appropriated from Yahiko's plate.

            "Now, Ken-san, don't be like that," Megumi cooed.  "Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?  Ohohoho!"

            Kenshin flushed until his face matched his mop of red hair.  "Megumi-dono, please…" he muttered.

            It was the last straw for Sanosuke, who toppled over backwards and convulsed with laughter.  "Hey, Fox, lay off until he hits puberty, at least!" the miniature ex-gangster crowed.

            Kenshin glared from beneath his bangs.  "Sano, I am going to hurt you, that I am."

            "Don't pay any attention to him, Ken-san," Megumi sniffed.  "Rooster-_chan_ is just upset because no matter how old he gets, he will always be just that: an idiot rooster-head."

            Sano sat bolt upright, a protesting scowl on his young face.  "Hey, now, wait just a minute, Fox!" he objected loudly.  "How come the shrimp there gets all the sweet talk?  We're the same age, you know…and anyway, he looks like a girl!"

            "Sanosuke," Kenshin growled.

            "Ken-san is still a polite and considerate young man," Megumi retorted, ignoring Kenshin's irritation, "whereas you, Rooster-chan, are still as loudmouthed and obnoxious as ever.  And as for his being small, well…"  The doctor's smile brightened, and she squished Kenshin so tightly that the poor rurouni let out a gasp.  "Don't you know that we women find very small children ever so much more _adorable?_  The smaller, the cuter!"

            "Megumi-dono, you are crushing me, that you are…"

            "Does that mean I'm cuter than Yahiko, then?" Sano asked, giving Megumi his most devilish smile—which turned into a rather silly expression, since his boyish face hadn't quite developed the rugged planes necessary to carry off the 'charmer' look.

            Megumi didn't get a chance to answer, because at that moment, Yahiko himself bolted through the room, with mini-Kaoru in hot pursuit.  The elder boy leaped over the table—barely missing Sano, who dove out of the way—and fled through the shouji with a triumphant yell.  "Can't catch me, busu-chan, so get over it!" he shouted over his shoulder, and was gone.

            Kaoru flopped down against the wall, panting, her face red from exertion.  She spat out a phrase that was _far too adult for her tiny child's mouth, and swatted a few strands of hair away from her eyes.  "I'm going to __kill that brat, first chance I get!" the little girl declared breathlessly.  Then, she took in the scene before her, and her expression darkened.  "Megumi-san…what are you doing to Kenshin?" she demanded._

            "Mm?  Oh, just snuggling him, and telling him how _cute he is now…ohohoho!"  With that, Megumi finally released Kenshin, who gratefully scooted away from the doctor's entirely unwanted attentions, catching his breath.  The doctor tossed her hair over her shoulder, and continued, "I think I am going to get back to the clinic now.  There are a few things I have to do before I can go home for the night.  I'll ask Yahiko to come in and do the dishes before he goes to bed."_

            "Thank you for your help, Megumi-dono," Kenshin said with his trademark rurouni-smile, although he made sure he kept himself out of the doctor's immediate reach.  "I really appreciate it, that I do."

            "Anything for you, Ken-san," Megumi tittered.  "Oh, and Kaoru-chan, try not to kill Yahiko before morning, mm?  He'll be the oldest one here tonight, so you'll want him at least mobile in case anything happens."

            Kaoru clenched her fists, but nodded stiffly.  "I can wait to pound him until tomorrow, I guess.  One way or another, he's going to _regret being so mouthy!"_

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            Yahiko let out a sleepy chuckle as he stared down at the redhead tucked into the futon.  "Kenshin, you're not seriously taking that thing with you to bed, are you?"

            Kenshin's small fingers curled protectively around his sakabatou, which was lying atop the covers next to him.  "Yes, I am," he answered.  "I cannot sleep well without it, that I cannot."

            "You do realize how silly you look," Sano remarked from his own futon, yawning expansively.  "Yeesh, why don't you go borrow one of Kaoru's dolls, if you need something to sleep with that badly?"

            Kenshin didn't say anything, just pulled his sakabatou closer and let his eyes fall shut.  "Good night, Yahiko," he murmured.

            The elder boy shook his head and stood to go.  "G'night, kids," he said with a tired grin.  The last thing he heard before the shouji slid shut was a sleepily drawled curse from Sano.

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            _The sword was nearly too heavy for the boy to lift; his small arms trembled with the weight of it.  He could barely lift the tip of the blade off the ground.  He'd never held a sword before, didn't know the first thing about wielding one.  But he gripped the hilt all the more firmly, determined not to let the men hurt the girls behind him._

_            **I have to protect them!  I'm the only boy!**_

_            The hilt was slick in his grasp, slick with cooling blood and the cold sweat collecting in his tiny palms.  His heart pounded against his ribs with such terror, he was sure it would burst.  Every muscle in his body was screaming at him to run, to get away from the huge men with their cruel smiles and slashing blades._

_            But he couldn't.  He didn't.  He could hear the girls sobbing with fright behind him._

_            **Protect them…**_

_            He had to protect them, the girls who'd only just met him, yet had treated him like their own little brother, sharing their food, helping him when he stumbled on the road.  No one else was going to help them, he knew.  He was the only thing standing between the girls and the bad men.  He couldn't let anything happen to them!_

_            He felt hands on him then, pulling him back into a huddle of warm bodies shaking with fear.  The sword dropped from his tiny fingers.  His heart shot into his throat at the loss.  He couldn't save them without a sword!_

_            **Please, spare the child!**_

_            They were trying to save him.  He wanted to protect them, but they wouldn't let him.  They tried to hide him, and paid for it with screams and blood.  He watched midnight-hued hair flutter to the ground, pooling around faces streaked with tears and frozen with horror.  He saw the blade flash in the moonlight, marred with crimson blood.  It would come for him, next, and he bowed his head._

_            **I don't care.  I couldn't even save them…**_

_            **…couldn't save them…**_

            Kenshin woke with a strained gasp, bolting upright in his futon.  His small body trembled with remembered terror, and his hair hung heavy against his neck, his bangs damp with sweat.  His sakabatou lay beside him, far too large for the childish hands that gripped it.

            The nightmare clutched at his heart the more he stared at his own fingers wrapped around the sheath.  "Damn," he whispered to himself.  He'd had that same nightmare countless times in his long, haunted lifetime, but never had it so affected him.  He kicked the covers off and hunched over, pulling the sakabatou up against his chest and holding onto it for dear sanity.  His eyes drifted shut.

            _It could happen again.  You're too small to save anyone, now…_

            Kenshin's eyes popped open again, and he tried to calm his breathing.  His heart was racing as madly as it had in the dream.  He gritted his teeth, glad for the darkness that hid his breakdown.  Sanosuke snored nearby, still soundly asleep, unaware of his roommate's distress.  _Good, Kenshin thought grimly.  No one needed to know his private dread, nor the hellish memories that inflamed it.  It would only worry them, and that was the last thing he wanted._

            Taking a deep breath, Kenshin rose from his futon and padded over to the shouji, clutching his sakabatou in both hands.  He'd never slept well lying down, anyway…

            …and a few moments later, the tiny rurouni had taken up a sentry position on the porch, his back pressed to the wall, the hilt of his unbelievably tall weapon propped against the wall above his shoulder.  Then, only then, could he allow himself to drift off into a shallow, uneasy doze.

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_Many thanks to **niki92286, Wakadori Ramen, Sarah Lee1, and **Hecate** for your reviews!  I'm glad you're all enjoying the story thus far!**_

_In response to Wakadori Ramen's question: I've always assumed that Kenshin's parents died when he was seven, he was sold into slavery very soon afterward, and spent a year or so as a slave until Hiko rescued him at age eight.  I'm assuming that the scene in the "Trust" OAV is little Kenshin out on a jaunt with his master's underlings, who've just purchased the three girls and are now returning to the master's house… at least, that's what I think.  I don't think there's any official information out there, but if there is, please let me know!_

_Yeah, I know, we don't know who the Big Bad is yet, ne?  Mmm…we'll find out next chapter!  Stick around!_

_Ja!_

_@Jen@_


	3. Three

**The Measure of a Man**

Written by Jenna Muff.  Based on the story Young Again by Fitz.  090003-??????

_Disclaimer: Number one, I don't own _Rurouni Kenshin_, or any of the characters, places, or events therein.  Number two, I don't own the original concept for this story; it belongs solely to Fitz-sama, who graciously granted permission for this little side story to be written.  Domo arigatou, Fitz-sama!_

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            "Yahiko?  Yahiko, wake up."

            "Mmph…g'way…"

            A small hand shook his shoulder.  "Yahiko, please wake up.  I need your help, that I do."

            Yahiko groaned and cracked one eye open.  "Kenshin, the sun isn't even up yet," he complained groggily.

            There was a soft sigh, and then a more forceful round of shaking.  "You can go back to sleep in a few minutes, that you can," Kenshin's voice said, his tone surprisingly firm for an eight-year-old.  "If you want breakfast this morning, you will have to help me reach the shelves, that you will."

            Yahiko's eyes popped open.  "Ohhhh," he said with sudden comprehension.  He rubbed at his eyes and yawned, then smirked at the tiny redhead kneeling by his futon.  "I guess Sano's still a twerp, too, then?"

            "I could ask Kaoru-dono to make breakfast, that I could," Kenshin remarked calmly.

            Yahiko winced.  "All right, all right.  I'm up already."

            The two boys padded down to the kitchen, where Kenshin had already assembled some of what he needed on one of the counters.  Yahiko noticed that the miniature rurouni had to stand on a stack of boxes in order to reach said counter, but he held back his smart-ass remarks for fear of being subjected to the busu's cooking.  _No fair, Kenshin,_ Yahiko grumbled to himself as he reached up and retrieved the items Kenshin patiently requested.  _Using that **poison against a guy…**_

            "I think that is all I need for now," Kenshin said at last.  He gave Yahiko a sunny smile, which the older boy could just barely make out in the pre-dawn gloom.  "Thank you, Yahiko.  You may go back to bed now, that you may."

            "Yeah, sure," Yahiko muttered around a jaw-cracking yawn.  He trudged back to his room and flopped down on the futon, sighing in happiness at the renewed comfort.  He felt a lovely doze coming on, and before he knew it, he was snoring once more.

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            "Hey, what the hell happened to the food?  I thought Kenshin cooked!" Sanosuke grumbled around a mouthful of overcooked rice.

            "I am sorry, that I am," Kenshin muttered, not looking up, "but it is difficult to properly cook when you are trying to keep your balance atop a pile of boxes, that it is."

            "You shouldn't apologize, Kenshin," Kaoru stated, glaring at Sano.  "Breakfast is wonderful.  We should all be thanking you for making at least _some_ kind of effort, unlike Yahiko over there!"  

            Yahiko gulped a little as the girl's glower turned on him.  He supposed, with a twinge of guilt, that he really should have helped Kenshin more.  But, for the sake of his pride as a Tokyo samurai, he met Kaoru's frown with an imperious sneer.  "Hey, at least _I_ know my limitations!  Some people can cook, and _some people," he gave Kaoru a pointed stare, "can't!"  As her face reddened, he folded his arms and stuck his nose in the air.  "At least I have the decency not to poison innocent hungry people!"_

"Why, you ungrateful little brat!" Kaoru shrieked, flinging herself at her student-turned-caretaker, her tiny fists flying madly.

Kenshin watched from beneath his thick bangs as the morning dissolved into the usual chaos of shrieks and insults.  He stifled a yawn and started collecting the dishes, trying to ignore the tired protests of his child's muscles.  He'd noticed that, though he was still in very good shape, he simply didn't have the toned, corded musculature that his adult body had taken on over the years.  _I wonder if I can even use Hiten Mitsurugi anymore,_ he thought, hiding another yawn behind one hand and trying to ignore Kaoru's shrill voice and Yahiko's howls.

"You all right, Kenshin?" Sano asked.

Kenshin didn't look up.  "I'm fine, that I am," he answered curtly.  Usually, the clamor didn't irritate him so, but he found himself mentally grinding his teeth.  Impatience churned in his stomach.  His head was beginning to ache with a vengeance.  Did Yahiko really have to taunt Kaoru-dono so?  And did she have to respond with such piercingly indignant screeches?  _Maa, maa, damn it!_ he thought irritably.

Silence, deafening in and of itself, suddenly slammed into place.  Kenshin froze, his lips slightly ajar, realizing too late that the others were gaping at him.  By the Kami, had he just said that out loud?

"Um, Kenshin…" Yahiko said hesitantly, staring at the miniature rurouni with no small amount of shock.  "Are you…all right?"

"Oro…"  Kenshin slipped one small hand behind his head and nervously fiddled with his hair tie, trying to plaster a smile on his face.  "I am sorry, that I am.  I guess I am just distracted this morning, that's all."  _You're just a sleepy little boy, Himura-chan, a snide voice chided from the back of his mind.  __You need a nap, that you do._

"You look tired, Kenshin," Kaoru said, her small brows knitted with concern.  "Here, let me and Sano do the dishes…"

"Hold on a second, Jou-chan, since when do I—?"

Kenshin's voice cut into Sano's protest.  The little redhead's hands were raised in a negating gesture, and a smile was in place, as always.  "No, it's all right," he said reassuringly.  "I will do them.  I'm fine, Kaoru-dono, that I am."

"Well, I guess I can do the laundry, since Kenshin can't reach the lines," Yahiko offered, still glancing warily at the swordsman, wondering what was really going on behind that smile.

"I'll scrub the dojo floor," Kaoru chimed in.  "And later on, maybe we can all go to the Akabeko again and visit Tae-san!"

Yahiko groaned.  "I don't think the Akabeko can handle the three of you again," he said.  Then, he stopped, blinked, and frowned in confusion.  "Wait a minute, I'm only seeing two of you.  Where'd Sano go all of a sudden?"

Kaoru rolled her eyes.  "Knowing him, he probably slipped out the moment we started talking about work to be done.  Mou, the slacker!"

"He should not go too far without an adult, that he should not," Kenshin remarked, absentmindedly stacking the dishes.

"I'll go get him in a while," Yahiko said with a wave of one hand.  "He'll be fine till I get the laundry done—uh, Kenshin, I think those are stacked too high for—!"

_Crash!_

"Oro!"

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            Sagara Sanosuke grinned to himself and whistled, flicking the ends of his overly long bandanna back over his shoulder as he strolled down the street.  He'd managed to sneak out of the dojo without being noticed—and without being snagged for housework, he congratulated himself.  _Well, Kenshin probably noticed me leaving, he amended.  _That guy never misses anything._  Still, the rurouni hadn't said anything, for which Sano was extremely grateful.  Cleaning just wasn't his thing.  Eating, drinking, gambling, kicking ass—those he could do, no problem.  But housework?  "Not in this lifetime," he said aloud, a little annoyed at how high-pitched his voice was._

            No.  To be honest, he was a _lot annoyed at how high-pitched his voice was.  And at how short he was.  And at the baggy, worn-out gi and hakama he'd had to borrow from Kaoru.  The whole thing was getting on his damned nerves!  Sano growled to himself, kicking up some dust and staring morosely at the borrowed tabi and sandals on his feet.  __Maybe I'll head over to Katsu's, he decided.  Katsu would probably laugh his ass off at Sano's predicament, but at least he wouldn't try to make him tidy up around the place._

            "Lost, little boy?" a gruff voice asked from behind.

            Sano spun around.  A tall, broadly built man loomed over him, dressed in a monk's robes and clutching a simple staff in one hand.  His clean-shaven face was vaguely familiar, but Sano couldn't place him.  "No," the miniature ex-street fighter answered warily.  "Just walkin'."

The man smiled widely at the little boy, and leaned down a bit as though to inspect him more closely.  "You're awfully small to be out walking by yourself, aren't you?  Where are your parents?  What's your name?"

Sano edged away, unnerved by the stranger's prying questions.  His boyish face crumpled into a glower.  Things that unnerved him also tended to piss him off.  "None of your damned business," he shot back.  "And I am _not_ too small!"

"Such a mouth you've got!" the stranger chortled, stepping closer.  "You know who you remind me of, little boy?"

"I don't care," Sano said, turning to leave.  "Leave me alone, you—"

An enormous hand clamped onto his shoulder and yanked him back.  Sanosuke found himself pinned against the stranger's enormous chest, his arms trapped at his sides, his small feet kicking uselessly at the air.  He opened his mouth to holler, but the man's other hand pressed over his mouth and nose.  It was hard to breathe, let alone shout.

"You look just like this street punk I hired a while back," the man's gruff voice rumbled over his head.  "He was too damned cocky for his own good, and because of him, all of my plans fell through.  The Battousai and that dojo bitch got away, _again."_

Sano's eyes widened in sudden recognition.  _Shit.  Oh, shit! he thought frantically, thrashing against the thick arm that held him.  _He knows about us!  He's going after Kenshin and Jou-chan!__

The stranger, one Hiruma Gohei, cackled uproariously.  "Oh, yes, Zanza," he chuckled, "you're all going to pay this time.  You and the Battousai, and that bitch and her brat student—I don't know what the hell happened to you all, but from what I saw on the riverbank…"  His grip tightened.  "Nice and helpless, are we?"

Sano kicked and fought, trying with all his might to bite the cruel hand cutting off his air.  His vision was beginning to blur, and his lungs were burning.  Anger and worry for the others brought involuntary tears to his eyes.  He blushed with shame.  _Quit crying like a damned baby!_ he berated himself, wrenching his small body about.  He'd never felt so helpless before.  It frightened him.  It pissed him the hell off.

But most of all, he was scared to death for Kenshin and the others.  Gohei would kill them all, if he caught them by surprise!

"You're all going to die, Zanza-chan," Gohei hissed gleefully, choking the breath out of his small prey, savoring the boy's weakening struggles.  "Now, be quiet and go to sleep for a while.  I need to make a few arrangements before I pay your dojo a visit."

_No, damn it!_  Sano felt his body wilting in Gohei's brutal grip, felt the strength leaving his limbs.  The world was going dark around him.  His heart pounded in his chest, his lungs screamed for air, and his mouth gaped desperately against the salty palm clasped against his face.  _Kenshin…Jou-chan…Yahiko…  Their faces flickered in his mind, and the last thing he heard before the blackness swallowed him was Gohei's harsh laughter in his ears._

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_Shorter chapter this time, but at least we know who the Big Bad is now!  Anyone at all surprised?_

_Oh, and I know that the Hiruma Gohei of the anime is totally different from the Gohei in the manga; I'm just choosing to use the anime-version because he suits the story's purposes.  The dude just keeps popping up for revenge and crap!  You'd think he'd take the hint and give up, already!  ;)_

_If Kenshin seems a bit out of character, it's because he's a tired little kid, and tired little kids are moody.  Of course, he has more self-control than a "real" little kid, but you know what I mean…_

_Thanks to all the reviewers!  **Sarah Lee1, Hecate, Wakadori Ramen, and **tocole******, thank you all so much!  Hugs and chocolate all around!  :D**_

_Tune in next time!  Things can only get worse, especially with animuffin at the helm!  (evil snicker)_

_@Jen@_

_P.S. Again, to anyone who was reading Shoulders Fit to Bear Burdens, I intend to re-write that whole fic and post it later on, much improved and all that.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my RK works!  :)_

_P.P.S. Let's all take a moment to drool...I just love the phrase "corded musculature" when applied to Kenshin.  It makes me salivate._


	4. Four

**The Measure of a Man**

Written by Jenna Muff.  Based on the story Young Again by Fitz.  090003-??????

_Disclaimer: Number one, I don't own _Rurouni Kenshin_, or any of the characters, places, or events therein.  Number two, I don't own the original concept for this story; it belongs solely to Fitz-sama, who graciously granted permission for this little side story to be written.  Domo arigatou, Fitz-sama!_

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            Kenshin flicked the last of the dish water from his hands and pulled himself to his feet, yawning and rubbing at his neck.  His head felt twice as heavy as it should have been, and it was making his neck and shoulders ache.  Weariness dragged downward at his eyelids.  "Oro," he murmured dazedly, trudging away from the washtub, half-entertaining notions of curling up somewhere for a nap.  By the Kami, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so sleepy…

            Of course, the rurouni was usually a little tired—sporadic nightmares and the ever-present worry for his friends' safety kept him from a full night's sleep most of the time.  Normally, though, he was able to shrug the drowsiness off without much problem.  _It's this child's body,_ Kenshin thought with a spurt of annoyance.  The irritation, however, was swiftly replaced by guilt, as he remembered his earlier outburst.  Tired or not, there was no excuse for such behavior.  _They don't deserve to be dragged into your personal problems, Kenshin berated himself.  _

            The small redhead heard a muffled curse as he stepped out into the yard.  Yahiko was kneeling at the laundry tub, scrubbing doggedly at a green gi—his own, Kenshin knew—which seemed to have a rather noticeable stain on the sleeve.  The elder boy noticed Kenshin approaching and gave the rurouni an exasperated wave, then swatted a few bangs out of his eyes and started in on his clothing once more.

            "What happened to your gi, Yahiko?" Kenshin asked, standing opposite Yahiko and peering curiously into the water.

            "I accidentally dragged it through some stew the other night at the Akabeko," Yahiko muttered, and redoubled his efforts.  "The stain just doesn't want to come out!"

            "It looks like a grease stain, that it does," Kenshin pointed out.  "You might have better luck if you add more hot water and soap, that you might."

            "Uh…thanks.  I'll do that."  Yahiko stared at Kenshin for a minute, before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

            Kenshin, for his part, gave a very childish pout.  "What?" he asked, his high-pitched tone distorting his inquiry into a whine.

            "Sorry, sorry," Yahiko snickered.  "It's just that…well, it's weird enough getting cleaning tips from a guy, but it's even _weirder getting them from a little boy, you know?"_

            The rurouni began to sigh, but instead broke into a jaw-cracking yawn.  He noticed the look Yahiko gave him.  "I guess I'm a little tired, that I am," Kenshin said with a sunny smile, tugging at his short hair and nonchalantly waving his free hand.

            "You look a lot tired, not just a little," Yahiko told him.  "You should go grab a nap."

            With some effort, Kenshin bit back the retort that threatened to pop out.  _Nap indeed, Rurouni-chan!_ his mind echoed mockingly.  "Thank you for your concern, Yahiko, but it's not necessary, that it isn't," he answered.

            "I'm serious, Kenshin," the elder boy persisted.  "You might think like an adult, but your body is a little kid, and—"

            "Yahiko," Kenshin broke in, a bit more sharply than he'd intended.  "I am fine, that I am."  A beat of silence passed, with the biting words hanging in the space between them.  Kenshin mentally smacked himself for his lack of control.  _Maybe I should take a nap, after all…_  "We should go look for Sano, that we should," he offered gently, almost by way of apology.

            Yahiko nodded slowly and got to his feet, abandoning the stained gi for the moment.  "Yeah, you're right.  I'll get the busu, and we'll all go look for him."  He hesitated, then continued, "Look, Kenshin, if you're upset because you're a kid again…well, if I did cause this whole thing, I'm sorry."  With that, he quickly turned and walked away, ducking into the dojo before Kenshin could say anything.

            Kenshin stared after him, realization dawning.  _Is he afraid I'm upset with him about this?  "Well, look at how you've been acting, Himura," he muttered under his breath.  He lifted one tiny hand and gazed at it thoughtfully, then smacked it against his own forehead.  __Kenshin no baka!  He would definitely have to talk to the boy later on, after they'd made sure Sano wasn't getting into any trouble…_

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            Two hours of searching turned up absolutely nothing.  No clues, no trails, and no Sanosuke.  The sun was riding high in the sky when Yahiko and his two charges paused outside the police station, trying to think of any place they'd missed.  They had gone to the Akabeko first, but neither Tae nor Tsubame had seen "that cute little Sano-chan" all day.  Katsu, one of Sano's friends from his days in the Sekihoutai, was clueless about "Sanosuke's little cousin."  As a last resort, Kaoru had suggested they try the police, in case anyone had taken Sano there, thinking he was a lost child.

            "No one's seen him since he left the dojo," Yahiko said, kicking at the dust, his annoyance masking his worry.  "Where the hell could he have gone?"

            "Sanosuke would not purposefully hide from us, that he would not," Kenshin murmured, his large eyes narrowed and dark with concern.  "He knows we would worry."

            "You don't think something's happened to him, do you?" Kaoru asked anxiously.  Her small hands were clutched together, and her ponytail swung behind her head as she looked back and forth between the two boys.  "What'll we do now?"

            "Well, we already asked everyone to keep an eye out for him," Yahiko said.  "So, we can either go back to the dojo and wait for him to turn up, or we can keep walking through town, asking the vendors if they've seen a little boy in blue and white run by."

            "I'm not going home, not until we've found Sano," Kaoru said immediately.

            "I agree, that I do.  We should continue searching, that we should," Kenshin added in.  His left hand drifted to rest at his hip, as though reflexively searching for a sword that was not there.

            _That's exactly what he's doing, Yahiko realized with a shiver.  __Kenshin thinks something's happened.  "All right then, it's settled.  We'll keep looking.  Come on, let's go to his place and ask the neighbors."_

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            Hiruma Gohei was mightily pleased.  The gods had been frowning upon him for far too long, he thought, and it was high time something went according to his wishes.  He'd been simmering in unfulfilled resentment for months now; every time he fumbled to grasp a dish, every time he nicked himself shaving, every time he tried to do his _kata_…he was reminded of his ruined thumbs.  One had been mangled almost two decades before, by Kamiya Kaoru's father, the master of the Kamiya dojo and Gohei's former teacher.  The other had been rendered useless much more recently, when he'd attempted to take his revenge on the Kamiya bitch herself.  _Damn that man,_ Gohei thought bitterly.  His scheme had been working so perfectly!  He'd taken on the name of Battousai, had tainted the reputation of Kamiya Kasshin by murdering men in its name, and he'd come so close to killing the bitch herself!

            But he hadn't counted on the real Battousai showing up, much less interfering in a situation that didn't really concern him.  Instead of killing him, however, the red-haired bastard had merely slammed the blunt edge of his silly sword down on Gohei's hand, permanently damaging his only working thumb.  _Damn him! Gohei snarled to himself, pounding one fist down onto the floor of his own small apartment.  Battousai could easily have killed him, but had chosen not to in favor of crippling and disgracing him._

            The humiliations hadn't ended there, though.  Two more perfectly wicked revenge plots had fallen through since then, one thanks to Zanza, the fighter-for-hire, and the other thanks to the brat with the wooden sword.  Gohei winced a little, remembering the maneuver the brat had used to bring him down in their last encounter.  Thankfully, there hadn't been any lasting damage, but the indignity burned in his guts and made his blood boil.  Still, though every thought screamed for vengeance, Gohei had just about given up.  Three times he'd tried, and each time he'd been defeated, shamed, and injured in some fashion.

            But…

The man's black glare settled on the small body lying crumpled against the far wall.  The child—Zanza himself, Gohei knew, although he had no idea what had happened to him or the newly shrunken Battousai—was still unconscious, but breathing steadily.  His skinny wrists and ankles were bound together, and his mouth was securely gagged with a wad of cloth stuffed inside to prevent him from screaming for help.  "Sleep well, Zanza-chan," Gohei chuckled, fingering the trigger of his pistol almost lovingly.  "I want you good and awake tonight, so you can watch your friends die, and so you can see my face just before I send you to join them…"

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            Yahiko and the others ended up at the clinic for a late lunch.  Megumi reacted to the news of Sanosuke's disappearance with her customary "idiot rooster" commentary, but her eyes betrayed her concern.  Too, she watched Kenshin closely as the miniature rurouni slowly ate his rice.  He didn't seem overly interested in the food, but ate almost mechanically, lost in his own thoughts again.  Her questioning glances at Yahiko didn't afford her much in the way of reassurance, either.  _Ken-san is terribly worried, _Megumi thought grimly, _and that child's face isn't as good at hiding it._

            "I don't know what else to do, Megumi-san," Yahiko said at last, breaking the gloomy hush that had fallen over the table.  No one felt much like bickering, not even Megumi, who usually delighted in baiting the excitable Kaoru.  "No one's seen Sano since he left this morning," the boy continued.  "We checked everywhere.  What do we do now?"

            Megumi folded her hands in her lap and sighed, choosing her words carefully.  "There isn't much more you _can do, Yahiko.  I think the best thing for you all to do right now is to go back to the dojo."_

            Kaoru looked up sharply.  "But Megumi-san, we can't—!"

            "Even if you run yourself ragged tonight, tanuki-chan, what will that accomplish?" Megumi chided gently.  "One of two things has happened.  Either the rooster-head has gone off and gotten involved in something and lost track of time, or he has gotten himself into some kind of trouble.  If the former is true, he'll eventually show up somewhere, begging for a free meal.  If it's the latter…well, exhausting yourselves won't help him."

            "So, you're saying we should give up?" Yahiko asked, his voice sharper than usual.  "Sano's our friend!  We can't just go home now!"

            "What if something terrible happens to him, all because we didn't keep looking?" Kaoru demanded piercingly.  "What if he's hurt?  What if he got lost?"

            "You said yourselves that you have looked everywhere and spoken to everyone," Megumi answered, looking squarely at the three children seated across from her.  She drew in a breath, then said, "If no one has seen Sanosuke by now, I don't think they will."

            Kaoru and Yahiko froze, and their mouths opened, but Kenshin's quiet voice cut them off.  "Megumi-dono is right," he said softly.  His expression was hidden behind his bangs, and his chopsticks lay abandoned on the low table before him.  "I do not believe Sano's disappearance is an accident, that I do not."

            A moment of stunned silence followed.  Kaoru's eyes brimmed with tears, and Yahiko muttered a curse under his breath.  Megumi, though, kept her eyes on Kenshin.  He did not once look up, but his fingers had curled into tiny, white-knuckled fists at his sides.  The doctor felt suddenly, horribly helpless.  What could she say to assuage their fears?  What could she do to help them?  _Nothing, she thought bitterly.  A talented doctor she was, and a sharp wit to boot, but the situation rendered her utterly useless.  It was a hard thing to swallow._

            "We should return to the dojo before the sun sets," Kenshin said suddenly, raising his gaze to meet Yahiko's.  The rurouni's eyes seemed impossibly large for his small, pale face.  "If those responsible for Sanosuke's disappearance wish to confront us, that is where they will go first."

            "Why would anyone kidnap Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked lowly, wiping at her eyes and trying to blink back more tears.  "What possible reason could they have?"

            "Especially because no one knows who he is, besides us…" Yahiko added, tapping his fingers against his knee and frowning.

            Kenshin's eyes vanished behind his hair again.  "There are a great many people in this country who would like to see me dead, I am sure," he murmured, his voice barely audible, almost as though he were speaking to himself alone.  "It has always been this way, that it has.  My enemies seek to harm those around me.  Others suffer in my stead."

            "You think someone has discovered your condition, then," Megumi said softly, sympathetically.

            "I do not know, that I do not," Kenshin answered, equally quiet.  He gave a barely perceptible sigh, then looked up at Yahiko once more.  "Yahiko, listen to me," he said firmly, his dark gaze practically boring a hole in the older boy.  "If we are confronted, and if those responsible wish to take my life…you must let them do so."

            _"What?!"_

            "Ken-san, what are you—?"

            "Kenshin, don't—!"

            "I will not sacrifice any of you to save my life, that I will not," Kenshin interrupted, his child's voice ringing out over the tumult and instantly quieting the others' shocked exclamations.  "Nor will I let anyone," and he stared at Yahiko pointedly, "needlessly put themselves in danger to protect me.  If the price is Sanosuke's life, or any of your lives…it is far too high, and I will not have it."

            "Wait a damned minute, Kenshin," Yahiko said hotly, sounding for all the world like Sano at his most riled-up moments, "you can't sit there and tell me to just stand back and let some asshole kill you in cold blood!  It's not gonna happen!  I'll protect all of you myself!"

            "Yahiko," Kenshin said severely, "you must not put yourself or anyone else in danger, that you must not."

            "To hell with that, and to hell with your stupid self-sacrificing talk!" Yahiko shot back.  "I'm not going to let anyone hurt any of you!  They want a piece of you, they'll have to go through me first!"

            "And if they threaten Sanosuke?  Or Kaoru-dono?"  The miniature rurouni suddenly rose to his feet and stood face-to-face with Yahiko, his storming eyes mere slits of suppressed emotion.  To Megumi's shock, he actually seemed to be trembling.  "I told you that I first picked up a sword when I was this age," Kenshin ground out.  "But I was far too small to wield it, and as a result, everyone who cared about me was slaughtered right in front of my eyes.  Do you understand?  The girls…they were cut down like _animals, and I was too small to help…__I couldn't stop it."  With that, the little redhead's voice died out, and he hurriedly turned away to collect himself.  When he spoke again, his tone was quieter, but no less fervent.  "That will not happen again.  I will not allow anyone else to die in my place.  __Not ever."_

            No one knew quite what to say to that.  Kenshin eventually sat back down, but his features remained hidden.  Yahiko stared down at his empty bowl, his astonishment written all over his young face.  Kaoru's shoulders shook, and tears poured down her cheeks, but she was silent.  Megumi, for her part, gazed sadly at Ken-san and wondered what kind of a monster would thrust a mere child into such horrors at all…

            "I won't put us in danger, I promise," Yahiko said quietly, startling Megumi with the suddenness of his statement.  "Trust me, Kenshin, please.  I won't let anyone hurt Sano or Kaoru."

            The little redhead looked up, and his eyes seemed much calmer.  Gone was the black despair, the haunted wreath of pain that had so twisted his expression before.  "I know, Yahiko, that I do," he replied gently.  "But there are enemies against whom you cannot win, and if we are met with them, I would ask that you first think of yourself and the others, that I would."

            Yahiko nodded slowly, reluctantly.  "All right," he agreed.  "All right, I will.  I promise."

            Kenshin gave him a smile—the rurouni's bright, cheery grin, blessedly normal—and nodded once.  "Thank you.  Now, we should be going, that we should, if we are to reach the dojo before nightfall."

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_Sorry about the delay!  Real life has chosen to dislike me at the moment…_

_Again, if Ken-chan seems overly emotive in this story, keep in mind that he's a small child, and small children aren't as good at hiding their emotions…plus, he's dealing with some pretty heavy memories and stuff.  Give the poor guy a break!  @_@_

_Thanks and rurouni-gummies go out to all the readers, reviewers and lurkers alike!  Special thanks to **Wakadori Ramen, Sarah Lee1, and ****tocole.  You all rock!  :D**_

_Waaaaah!  I am suddenly struck with a massive inferiority complex, after having read the latest chapter of tocole's magnificent Yahiko-centered fic, The Flower of Life!!  (animuffin sobs)  Go read it!  It's fantastic!  Totally blows this one out of the water (think Purgatory! ;D)!_

_Oh, and just for Wakadori Ramen, Aoshi has been magically transformed into an eight-year-old, and has stopped by to say a few words…_

_Chibi Aoshi: (glares up at animuffin)  "Jen-san, unlike the Battousai, I am not too small to use my kodachi.  Although, since my  hands are now much smaller, I may make a slight mistake and leave you with an unfortunate maiming instead of instant death…"_

_(animuffin sweatdrops)_

_That's all for now!  More to come soon!_

_Ja!_

_@Jen@_


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